Alleged election violence: Adebutu’s accusation is face-saving strategy, tissue of lies — Gov. Abiodun

Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun has described as tissues of lies, the allegation made by the defeated governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Ladi Adebutu on the conduct of the just concluded local government election.

The PDP Guber candidate at a press conference, had alleged that Governor Dapo Abiodun moved around during Saturday’s local government election with armed military personnel and the police to unleash violence on the people.

Reacting through his Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, Abiodun described Adebutu as a drowning man who is finding someone to drag with him into the abyss.

Akinmade, in the statement, noted that Ogun State has not witnessed any political violence since Abiodun assumed office, a testament to his peaceful mien.

He noted that contrary to Adebutu’s falsehood, Prince Abiodun had, immediately after voting, headed home straight, where he was until the election, after which he decided to return to Ondo State where the governorship election had just taken place.

He accused Adebutu of political thuggery, adding that contrary to the electoral act, he illegally brought in 40 policemen from MOPOL 49 in Lagos and, along with PDP thugs on Okada who went about with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, attempting to snatch ballot boxes.

According to Akinmade, one of the polling booths invaded was where the Vice Chairman of Ikenne Local Government, Hon. Muhammed Olaitan Efuwape was about to vote. He was shot by the policemen alongside one other voter.

Enraged voters pursued the policemen, who fled to the home of Hon. Adebutu’s compound where they took refuge.

He said: “Rather than allowing the policemen to be picked up, Hon. Abebutu aided their escape from his house, while only four were arrested.

“This individual is trying to assume the role of the Chief Security Officer of Ogun State and that is impossible. It is in his own interest to cooperate with law enforcement officers by turning himself in, rather than trying to exonerate himself from the mayhem unleashed on the peace-loving residents of Iperu on Saturday.

“It is laughable that someone whose political journey is on a downward spiral is alleging that voting did not take place in some polling booths in the State, when in actual fact the majority of Ogun residents trooped out in their number to exercise their electoral franchise.

“As a professional clown whose own running mate said he would have been a disaster as governor, Adebutu spun wicked lies like the current one during his case at the election petitions tribunal, and right up to the Supreme Court where he was brutally bludgeoned for his egregious falsehoods.”

Akinmade further described Adebutu as a “sore loser who is yet to come to terms with his electoral deficit and polarised political structure.”

Akinmade counselled Adebutu to turn himself in to law enforcement agents to clarify why he brought in illegal policemen to aid his rigging machine.